PA Republicans feel suppressed by elementary school’s Obama mural

A painting of President Barack Obama that elementary students voted in 2009 to put on their school’s wall is now actively suppressing Mitt Romney voters, according to a statement from the Pennsylvania Republican Party.

Numerous complaints from Republicans voting in Philadelphia’s 35th Ward began coming in this morning, giving the Pennsylvania State Republican Committee cause to request a judge intervene. The Democratic City Committee of Philadelphia agreed with their complaint, noting that any campaign images inside a polling place are considered electioneering, which is illegal.

Acknowledging the two parties’ agreement, a judge in Philadelphia ordered poll workers to cover the mural with paper so that its content is not visible, and they did.

“The Obama campaign is 0-for-2 today in trying to get away with their disgusting attempts to suppress Republican voices in Philadelphia,” state GOP chairman Rob Gleason told CBS Philly.

“Whether it’s blocking Republican Election Day workers form doing their job or violating Pennsylvania law by electioneering in the polling place, it is clear the Obama campaign has taken their campaign in the gutter to manipulate this election however they can,” he continued. “Based on the Obama campaign’s behavior today, it certainly raises the question: what are Democrats doing in the polls that they are working so hard to shield folks from monitoring this election?”

Elections watchdogs in Philadelphia have also encountered numerous complaints about Republican poll watchers being denied access to polling places, which the city’s district attorney is reportedly looking into. A number of other complaints from Democrats arose after signs appeared outside polling places telling voters they must bring a photo ID, which isn’t actually the case thanks to a judge’s decision last month.
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About the Author

Stephen C. Webster is the senior editor of Raw Story, and is based out of Austin, Texas. He previously worked as the associate editor of The Lone Star Iconoclast in Crawford, Texas, where he covered state politics and the peace movement’s resurgence at the start of the Iraq war. Webster has also contributed to publications such as True/Slant, Austin Monthly, The Dallas Business Journal, The Dallas Morning News, Fort Worth Weekly, The News Connection and others. Follow him on Twitter at @StephenCWebster.